KARACHI, May 30: Rejecting the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020, speakers at a seminar held here on Friday termed it “a conspiracy” against the interest of the local population of the city.

The seminar presided over by a leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and former senator, Taj Haider, was jointly organised by the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) and the Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO).

Speakers urged the Sindh government to scrap what they described as the “so-called” master plan and to prepare a new development scheme in consultation with the members of civil society and the local population.

They slammed the city government for allegedly working against the interest of the local populace by illegally capturing their valuable land and resources on the pretext of development. They also accused the CDGK of hatching a conspiracy to take over the control of the coastal areas of the province.

They said that if the proposed master plan got implemented as many as 200 villages of fishermen would be demolished sooner or later.

Referring to the history of Karachi, the former speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Hussain A. Haroon, said that the city originally comprised various fishermen’s settlements and the land of the city actually belonged to the then major communities including Balochs, Sindhis and the Kachhis, a fact that was even recognised by the British government as well. He said that this could also be proved in a court of law.

Mr Haroon deplored that the land of the natives had been usurped by the land mafia and builders with the connivance of government functionaries in a bid to convert a majority into a minority.

He said that an atmosphere of peace and harmony could be established in the province by giving due rights to the native population including their right to ownership of their land and resources.

Mr Haroon argued that the present local body system had failed to deliver and, therefore, there was a need for a new local body system that could ensure the rights of the old populace of the city.

He also suggested the establishment of a new colony “Benazir Basti” in the periphery of the city for the rehabilitation of those who came to the city from the interior of Sindh in search of jobs.

Mr Haroon hoped that the current Sindh government would work for the betterment of the natives by taking appropriate and effective measures.

‘Master plan a conspiracy’

The central leader of the National Workers Party, Yusuf Mustikhan, said: “We have not only been deprived of our socio-political rights, we have also been facing an identity crisis.”

He said that under a systematic plan, the natives had been deprived of their land and resources. He further charged that efforts were being made to deprive the natives of their culture and language as well.

The NWP leader said that an abiding peace in the province could not be established unless the due rights of the local populace were recognised.

Criticising the proposed master plan, he called for a joint struggle to foil what he described as a conspiracy to control the land of the local populace.

A former minister and chairman of the former district council Karachi, Hakeem Baloch, also termed the master plan document a grand conspiracy against the local population.

Slamming the city government and the overall local body system introduced by the Musharraf government, he alleged that under the so-called devolution plan the city government had destroyed Karachi and decimated the local population by uprooting them from their lands.

Mr Baloch said that Karachi had been deprived of its green belts and a new concept of urban agriculture had been introduced to plunder the resources of Karachi.

He also called for the revival of the Malir district.In his address, Mr Taj Haider said that the Pakistan People’s Party had opposed the master plan when it was tabled in the City Council and added that the Sindh government had not issued any notification in this regard so far.

Criticising the Sindh Local Government Ordinance (SLGO), he said that certain sections of the ordinance were in direct contravention of the constitution.

He also informed the audience that the provincial government was preparing a new draft of law to replace the existing local body system.

The PPP leader said that under the new law the definition of a village would be revised and new districts would be created.

Mr Haider also disclosed that the government would launch new housing schemes which would be announced in the next budget.

He said his party stood for the rights of the poor sections of the population and every effort would be made to mitigate their sufferings.

Mohammad Ali Shah, chairman of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, SPO senior coordinator Ellahi Buksh Baloch, MPA Haji Muzafar Ali Shah Shujra, Mustafa Baloch and Ali Arsalan also spoke.